Elastic support for guard rails

ABSTRACT

The disclosure is an improvement in a railway frog including a guard rail and support therefor. The improvement comprises resilient means between the guard rail and the support, with the stroke of the guard rail being greater in the longitudinal direction to the rail than transversely thereto.

O Umted States Patent 1111 3,804,327 Dohse Apr. 16, 1974 [54] ELASTIC SUPPORT FOR GUARD RAILS 919,965 4/1909 Shoffner 238/18 3,104,059 9 1963 G d 238 284 [75] Inventor Ruflard Dohse, Essen'Bredeney 3,383,043 5j1968 T v v 2381283 Germany [73] Assignee: Elektro-Thermit G.m.b.H., Berlin,

1 Germany Primary ExaminerGerald M, Forlenza Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch [22] Filed 1972 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James E. Bryan, Esq. [21] Appl. No.: 245,445

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 57 ABSTRACT May 10, 1971 Germany 2122960 1 [52] U.S. C1. 238/18, 246/468 The disclosure is an mp ent in a railway frog in- 51 Int. Cl EOlb 7/10, EOlb 5/18 eluding a guard rail and pp therefer- The [58] Field of Search 238/17, 18, 19-23, m nt mpr s s r s lient means bet een the 238/283, 284; 246/468 guard rail and the support, with the stroke of the guard rail being greater in the longitudinal direction to [56] Refe Cit d the rail than transversely thereto.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 447,235 2/1891 Dudley 238/18 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDAPRYBIEM 3,804,327

SHEET 1 0F 2 ELASTIC SUPPORT FOR GUARD RAILS The present invention relates to an elastic support for guard or check rails in the frog area of switches and level crossings.

In the case of rigid frogs, a gap exists between the wing rail and the frog point which must be considered as a guide-less point within the over-running zone or section of the frog. In order to render it possible that the wheels be exactly guided within this area, guard or check rails are mounted to the oppositely-positioned rail and prevent the sliding over of the vehicle into the frog gap. During the running of the vehicle into the frog area of switches or crossings, the flange of the wheel is forcibly guided by means of the guard or check rail so that the wheel cannot fall into the frog gap. The distance between the inner frog edge of the rails and the guard rails is limited according to the transverse dimensions of the wheel sets of the vehicles which travel over the switch or crossing.

In order to facilitate the running-in of the wheel flange into the area of the guard rail, the guard or check rail is bent at the beginning and end thereof so that a funnel-like inlet is produced between the guard rail and the inner edge of the rail. Only seldom will the wheel run precisely into the provided groove. Generally, the wheel flange will strike against the bent-off portion of the guard or check rail.

The extent of the lateral impact depends upon the size of the angle of approach of the wheel to the guard rail. It is conceivable so to decrease the angle of approach by extending the running-in that the necessarily arising lateral shock or impact is reduced. An absolute elimination thereof is not possible, however. In addition thereto, a soft running-in into the guard rail area requires a great structural length of the guard rail. This is not, however, justifiable for both structural and economical reasons.

.It is the object of the present invention to reduce the inevitable lateral impact during the running of the wheel against the guard rail.

This object is obtained, in accordance with the present invention, by virtue of the fact that the guard or check rail is elastically arranged within the frog area. Since the tolerances of the guiding width and the groove breadth or width are very narrow, the elastic stroke of the guard rail in the direction at a right angle to the rail axis should be small.

The elastic fastening of the guard rail is constructed in this manner in order that the elastic stroke be very much greater in the longitudinal rail direction than transversely to the rail. The maintenance of the prescribed tolerances in the guiding width and groove width or breadth is achieved in that an abutment limits the elastic stroke of the guard rail transversely with respect to the rail direction.

For purposes of achieving the elastic stroke it is possible, for example, to use steel springs or elastomeric bearings which have steel inserts therein.

The advantages afforded by the present invention consist in that the inevitable shock or impact which is caused during the running of the wheel flange into the guard rail area is reduced because of the elastic arrangement of the guard rail in the frog area, while the forcible or positive guide of the wheel in the frog area of switches and level crossings is not thereby eliminated, nor are the admissible tolerances exceeded.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and will be further described hereinbelow on that basis. The drawings illustrate in FIG. 1 a top plan view of the guard rail with the fastening thereof, and

FIG. 2 a lateral view thereof.

The guard rail 1 rests with the underside thereof on the known rigid support 2. Disposed between the guard rail 1 and the support 2 is an elastic element. The latter consists of a flat base plate 3, the elastomer bearing 4, and the U-shaped bent base plate 5. The surface 6 of the flat base plate 3 and the surface 7 of the U-shaped bent base plate 5 are rigidly connected with the elastomer bearing 4. The flat base plate 3 and the U-shaped bent base plate 5 are held in position at the guard rail 1 with the aid of the screws 8 and 9 and at (or against) the supporting arrangement 2 with the aid" of t he screws 10 and 11. The flanks 12 and 13 of the U- shaped bent base plate 5 serve as abutments for the deflection of the guard rail in the direction at a right angle to the rail axis. Reference numerals 14 and 15 identify metallic or plastic inserts or linings which serve for receiving the forces within the bearing.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway frog including a guard rail and a sup port therefor,

the improvement which comprises resilient means between said guard rail and said support, the stroke of said guard rail being greater in the longitudinal direction to the rail than transversely thereto. 

1. In a railway frog including a guard rail and a support therefor, the improvement which comprises resilient means between said guard rail and said support, the stroke of said guard rail being greater in the longitudinal direction to the rail than transversely thereto. 